Chanel Rene wrote:
For me, I started as a "paparazzi". I just happened to shoot some awesome stuff of Paris Hilton and her BFF (at the time)... and a photo agency bought the images and signed me up!
Since then I've been paid to shoot lots of celebrity events. I even did a *stake out*, which is fun but too crazy for my tastes... I got knocked over by another photographer twice! lol
I'm now contracted with 2 hollywood clothing stores to shoot their celebrity clients when they come in to shop.

You can shoot me too Chanel for your book.  That will open some more doors... LOL

Chanel Rene wrote:
For me, I started as a "paparazzi". I just happened to shoot some awesome stuff of Paris Hilton and her BFF (at the time)... and a photo agency bought the images and signed me up!
Since then I've been paid to shoot lots of celebrity events. I even did a *stake out*, which is fun but too crazy for my tastes... I got knocked over by another photographer twice! lol
I'm now contracted with 2 hollywood clothing stores to shoot their celebrity clients when they come in to shop.

Awesome I'm going to have to move to LA and do a few stake outs lol I see most celebrity shooters are there. Even though I'm close to NYC I think LA is the capital for celebrities.

Jason Todd Ipson wrote:
You can shoot me too Chanel for your book.  That will open some more doors... LOL

lol you're so hot Jason, my lens would just fog up!
Besides, I'm going to use you to direct my screenplay in about 3 years.

Sockpuppet Studios  wrote:
Be careful with that route, many "celerity photographers" I have met are total hacks and just shoot for fun, they show a book full of celebs to get ignorant models to shoot with them but non of the work they do is commissioned by said celebrity.

All they get are bragging rights, and those do not pay the bills.
(Unless your business model is to shoot celebs, and get wannabee starfucker people to hire you to do portrait sittings)

I agree with you there!
I've met so many were just assholes. But, that's why one of my boutique clients keeps me around. I get them the shots they need, I'm cordial and professional with the celebrity and I respect their publicists wishes. (ie. Paris Hilton's told me not to shoot her feet. lol So I didn't.)

Chanel Rene wrote:
I even did a *stake out*, which is fun but too crazy for my tastes... I got knocked over by another photographer twice!

I'm confused. Is this waiting outside a house or business for a celeb to come out so you can shoot them?


Because that's called stalking, regardless of how paparazzi dress it up. If "stakeout" means something else, my apologies.


Edit:

Per the Op, Matthew Rolatin shoots film promotion, Annie L started at Rolling Stone and transitioned. Many set photographers make friends with the actors and get commisions and referrals.

Keith Allen Phillips wrote:
If I wanted to be a celebrity photographer I'd follow around "slave to the lens" and shoot all of his movie star friends

Tell them Ryan sent you and they'll say, "Who? Oh, the guy who buys the furniture, right?"


Angie, the first step would be moving where the celebrities live. Los Angeles, New York...

Chanel Rene wrote:
Since then I've been paid to shoot lots of celebrity events. I even did a *stake out*, which is fun but too crazy for my tastes... I got knocked over by another photographer twice! lol

that is what BIG old METAL lenes are for, just jab the SOB in the ribs HARD i gartee there would not do that agen. it worked for me

slave to the lens wrote:

Tell them Ryan sent you and they'll say, "Who? Oh, the guy who buys the furniture, right?"


Angie, the first step would be moving where the celebrities live. Los Angeles, New York...

I'm down in NYC constantly is only a 3 hour drive and I'm usually down there every week might as well move and been thinking about seriously moving there once my photography is really stable. and have considered LA even though I lived there before and hated it.

KillerShotz Photography wrote:
I know for a fact that I would suck as paparazzi because I would defienetely get knocked down by those money hungry photographers. I'm tiny.

Plus, you can't have a soul, a conscience, morals or any respect for privacy or personal property. It's in the Pap handbook.

Chanel Rene wrote:
For me, I started as a "paparazzi". I just happened to shoot some awesome stuff of Paris Hilton and her BFF (at the time)... and a photo agency bought the images and signed me up!
Since then I've been paid to shoot lots of celebrity events. I even did a *stake out*, which is fun but too crazy for my tastes... I got knocked over by another photographer twice! lol
I'm now contracted with 2 hollywood clothing stores to shoot their celebrity clients when they come in to shop.

...see no offence but I have personal boundary issues that surrounds the "paparazzi". I simply couldn't do that.

Not to further my career...not for anything.

KillerShotz Photography wrote:
I was snooping around MM and I saw lots of celebrity photographers and I was wondering how did they started and how they got in the door of celebrity shooting.

i don't classify myself as a celebrity shooter but i have photographed a number of celebrities.  the "in" was typically being at events where celebrities attend and then networking accordingly. 

the key is to not appear starstruck and just be professional in approach.  part of that is putting oneself in line for doing personal projects and assurance any work won't be splattered all over the web or sold as pap.

slave to the lens wrote:
Plus, you can't have a soul, a conscience, morals or any respect for privacy or personal property. It's in the Pap handbook.

truth.

pap shooters in fish-terms are considered carp.

slave to the lens wrote:

I'm confused. Is this waiting outside a house or business for a celeb to come out so you can shoot them?


Because that's called stalking, regardless of how paparazzi dress it up. If "stakeout" means something else, my apologies.


Edit:

Per the Op, Matthew Rolatin shoots film promotion, Annie L started at Rolling Stone and transitioned. Many set photographers make friends with the actors and get commisions and referrals.

Nah, it was a night club. A fellow shooter invited me to see what it was like, and figured why not give it a whirl. Haven't done it since and won't do it again. I'm not nearly bitchy (or butchy) enough to keep up with the other paparazzi. I'm not the type to get up in people's faces. lol

Swank Photography wrote:
...see no offence but I have personal boundary issues that surrounds the "paparazzi". I simply couldn't do that.

Not to further my career...not for anything.

Well I quoted "paparazzi" because I wasn't really acting as a real Paparazzi, I just happened to have the inside info about the celebrity and was in the right place at the right time.

The whole Paparazzi lifestyle is just not for me. I'm not competitive or relentless enough...
When they show up at my stores, they call me all kinds of names because they can't go inside, but I can. LOL
Matter of fact, I'm in the background of a bunch of their shots all the time. I've made it a point to block their view with my "big tubby ass" (one of them has nicknamed me Tubby! lol)

Sioux Falls Photography wrote:
Mine started with Paparazzi photos. Yay right?

Did you end up taking pictures of the local priest on a date with a nun? Because, honestly, that's about the only celebrity stuff I can see going on in your city.


As far as this, and IMO, I'd just put it into being in the right place at the right time and meeting the right people! Kind of along the lines of being lucky, but more or less just putting yourself in a place to meet the right people.

Greg Cobb Photography wrote:
Not all Paparazzi are the same.  There was a movie here in the Memphis area with Nora Jones.  I was speaking to the producer and paparazzi came up.  He said he got a phone call from a guy who asked if he could come shoot, made an appointment, flew to the states and bought Nora Jones a very expensive bottle of wine as a gift.

He then said paparazzi get a bad rap and that not all of them have the same ethics, or lack thereof.

Then I wouldn't call that person a pap. The origin of the word itself is something like "annoying mosquito" if I recall correctly.